Every year in early March, I start receiving the same question: Are the tulips already blooming?

The short answer right now is not yet.

There are about seven days until the gardens open, and the fields are still preparing for the season. But spring is slowly arriving in the Netherlands, and there are already a few beautiful signs that the season is starting.

The First Sign of Spring: Cherry Blossoms

One of the first signs that spring is arriving in Amsterdam is the cherry blossom trees.

I have already seen the first blossoms appearing near Westerpark, even though they are not yet visible in the main areas of the city. These early blossoms are usually the first signal that the colder weeks of winter are ending.

Cherry blossoms are delicate and short-lived, but they are a beautiful reminder that the landscape is slowly changing.

Tulip Fields: Still Preparing

At the moment, the tulip fields are not blooming yet.

A friend who lives near the fields confirmed today (March 12th, 2026) that the tulips have not opened yet. The plants are still short, and many of the fields are currently covered in yellow. Not from tulips, but from daffodils, which are usually the first flowers to bloom in the region and one of the earliest signs that spring is beginning. This is completely normal. Early March is still part of the preparation phase for the tulip season.

Tulips need a combination of longer daylight, slightly warmer temperatures, and stable weather before they begin to open.

Gardens vs Fields

The first tulips you will see are usually inside gardens, not in the open fields. Gardens such as Keukenhof, Tulip Experience Amsterdam, De Tulperij, and The Tulip Barn plant early varieties that bloom first, while the fields usually begin to show color a little later.

You can read my complete article about Gardens vs Fields on this link.

What to Expect in the Next Weeks

If the temperatures remain stable, the first visible blooms should begin appearing soon after the gardens open. The coming weeks will move quickly with early spring flowers first, then early tulips, and finally the large colorful fields.

Spring in the Netherlands is a slow reveal rather than a single moment.

If you are planning to visit the Netherlands for tulip season, remember that spring begins quietly. The first signs are not the tulips themselves, but the small changes in the landscape, like the first cherry blossoms appearing in the city.

And once the tulips begin, the transformation happens quickly.

Do you want to know more about why we choose gardens and not fields for photo sessions? Here is a complete guide about it.

Spring in the Netherlands begins quietly, with small signs like the first cherry blossoms and the yellow fields of daffodils. Soon enough, the tulips will follow.

Joanna Pantigoso, Photographer in Amsterdam